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Kenwood's KDC-MP342U CD receiver gives you iPod® control through its USB input, but its real strength lies in its versatility. It's compatible with Kenwood's Bluetooth® adapter, satellite radio, and HD Radio tuner, so you have the option of adding hands-free calling and extra entertainment options to your system.

iPod usability
All you iPod users will feel right at home. Plug into the front panel USB input  it's illuminated so you can find it easily in the dark. The Multi Control Wheel and enhanced search functions make navigating your tracks and playlists a breeze. You can search for a song alphabetically, or by jumping through your playlists in 10% increments. Your passengers can also use the iPod's controls to access songs, or they can take advantage of the full-featured remote control that Kenwood includes with this receiver.

Plenty of options
The KDC-MP342U will also play CDs you've loaded with your MP3 and WMA files, and offers a handy front-panel auxiliary input for adding even more music sources. All your tunes will sound great, thanks to Kenwood's robust internal amplifier and an improved bass boost. Two sets of preamp outputs let you add and control outboard amplifiers, and you can activate a low-pass filter and sub level control for fingertip control over your bass.

Want to keep your car's steering wheel audio controls?
In most vehicles, you can use this adapter to connect your vehicle's steering wheel controls to this Kenwood stereo. Connect a few wires, then program the adapter for your particular car and the Kenwood, and you'll retain the convenience of your steering wheel controls.

Note: If you're going to use your iPod with this receiver, be sure to check "Details" for specific iPod model compatibility with this receiver or its optional iPod adapter.

Other features and specs:

Why replace your factory radio?

Two good reasons - sound quality and cool features. A new car stereo offers power that's superior to most factory radios, along with more sophisticated tone controls. And most car stereos offer built-in or optional features that add safety and fun to life in your car, including inputs for your iPod or MP3 player, Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free cell phone calls, satellite radio or HD Radio reception, and connections for building an audio system in your car.

Product Research

Display Features

Detachable Face: The unit features a single front loading
CD face that detaches from the chassis to deter theft. The CD player comes
supplied with a soft black fabric, draw string face case to protect the
detachable face when you have it off the chassis.

Security Code: You can enter a
4-digit security code which must be used when the unit is removed from the
vehicle, or the constant power source is disconnected from the unit. When
constant power is restored to the unit, the security code must be entered before
the unit becomes operational.

Display Illumination/Clock Display: When the unit is in
Standby mode, the face/button illumination
is "keyed." In addition, while the unit is in Standby mode, you can turn the
clock display on or off. When the Clock Display is turned on and the unit is in
Standby mode, the Clock Display is also "keyed." Pressing and holding the source
button turns the unit off completely.

Dimmer: The dimmer function can dim this unit's display
automatically based on the amount of ambient light.

Audio Section

Rotary Volume Control: The CD receiver uses a rotary volume
control that increases and decreases the volume of the stereo from 0 to 35. The
rotary knob also controls other audio settings such as Balance, Fader, Bass,
Mid, Treble and preset EQ settings. In addition, the rotary knob allows you to
scroll through and select your music tracks when the Music Search function is
activated.

Speaker Settings: The Speaker
Setting function tailors the System Q Sound Control settings according to the
type of speakers in your vehicle. You may select a Speaker Setting of "SP
Off" (flat), "SP OEM" (for OEM factory speaker systems), "SP
6x9/6" (for systems with 6" and 6"x9" speakers), or "SP
5/4" (for systems with 4" and 5" speakers).

System Q Sound Control: Seven EQ curves are preset into
memory, allowing you to recall the best preset EQ curve for different types of
music. Each preset has its own level settings for bass (100Hz), midrange (1kHz),
and treble (10kHz). You can choose from the following preset EQ curves - Rock,
Pops, Easy, Top 40, Jazz, Natural, and Game.

Bass/Treble/Mid Control: The
KDC-MP342U also features a User System Q Sound mode which allows independent
Bass, Treble and Midrange control. You can adjust
each one from -8 to +8db. The bass frequency is adjusted at 100 Hz, the treble
frequency is adjusted at 10 kHz and the midrange frequency is adjusted at 1 kHz.

Bass Boost: The Kenwood CD receiver also features a Bass
Boost control that can be set to the following levels - BB1, BB2 or Off.

Source Tone Memory: This feature allows you to store
System Q bass, middle and treble tone settings
for each source (CD, Tuner, Aux, and USB).

Volume Offset: The level of
each source may be independently adjusted to prevent radical leaps in output
volume when switching from one source to another. The available settings range
from -8 to 0.

Tel Mute: The KDC-MP342U features a cell-phone mute wire
(brown) in its harness that when hooked up to
your car's phone system mute wire will automatically mute the receiver's audio
signal when a call comes in.

Selectable Preamp Output: The KDC-MP342U features front and
rear preamp outputs. The rear preamp output allows you to adjust from a
full-range rear speaker preamp output to a low-pass non-fading subwoofer preamp
output.

Low Pass Filter: The receiver features a built-in Low Pass
Filter control for the preamp-output when the output is set to Sub. You can
select from 80, 120, 160 or off.

Subwoofer Level: Once you have switched the preamp output to
"subwoofer" you can independently control the subwoofer preamp output level from
the CD receiver. You select levels between -15 to +15.

Disc Playback

MP3/WMA Playback: The KDC-MP342U can play MP3 and WMA files
recorded on CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD-RW discs in ISO9660 Level 1/Level 2, Joliet,
Romeo, and Long file name formats. Each disc should have a maximum of 8
directory levels, 50 folders, and 255 files per folder with a maximum of 512
files and folders. During MP3/WMA playback, the unit displays any recorded ID3
Tag (Ver.1) information. The headunit will display up to 30 characters.

Supreme Setting: When MP3 or WMA files encoded at a
low bit rate (less than 96 kbps, 44.1k, 48kHz) are
played, the Supreme Setting function restores their high frequencies so the
sound quality is closer to files encoded at a high bit rate. The processing is
optimized for the compression format and the bit rate used. When the Supreme
Setting is Off, the unit plays the original sound stored in the audio file.

Text/Title Scroll: The
KDC-MP342U will display CD text, Audio file text and Satellite radio
text. You can turn the
scrolling feature "on" to scroll longer titles across the screen.

Music Search: The Kenwood AM/FM CD receiver features a Music
Search feature which allows you to scroll through and select your MP3/WMA music
folders and files, as well as scroll through your audio CD's music tracks using
the headunit's rotary knob.

Last Position Memory: If the unit is shut off or switched
to the tuner mode while a CD is playing, the
next time CD is selected as the source, playback will resume from the point
where it left off.

Off Eject: The KDC-MP342U allows
you to eject your disc for 10 minutes after switching off the vehicles engine.

CD Force: When there is a
problem with playing a CD with a special format, this setting plays the CD by
force. Some CDs still may not play in the CD Force mode.

Changer Controls: This unit is directly compatible with
Kenwood changers manufactured in 1998 or later. If the changer has an O-N
switch, the switch will need to be set to the "N" position. In addition to basic
disc navigation features, this unit has the following changer controls: direct
disc access (using the remote), direct track access (using the remote), track
intro scan, track repeat, disc repeat, disc random, and magazine disc random.
When connected to a CD Text capable CD changer this unit can display disc and
track titles for discs encoded with disc and track title information. The text
information can be scrolled manually or automatically.

Radio Functions

CR-2 Advanced Tuner: This unit
uses Kenwood's CR-2 Advanced tuner for clear radio reception. You can choose one
of three tuning modes: Auto 1 (seek tuning), Auto 2 (cycles through and tunes
the selected band's preset stations only with each button press), or Manual.

Auto Memory Tuning: Not only
does the CD receiver's tuner allow you manually enter your desired presets you
can choose to have the unit automatically put stations with good reception in
the memory banks automatically; this is a handy feature when traveling. The
tuner features 3 FM banks (1, 2, 3) and 1 AM bank. You can store 6 presets for
each AM/FM bank giving you a total of 18 FM presets and 6 AM presets.

Clean Reception System Circuit (CRSC): This circuit controls
multi-path distortion by reducing stereo
separation. As stereo separation is reduced, multi-path has less effect on the
radio signal, improving reception in areas with tall buildings and mountains.
The CRSC circuit can be turned on or off.

Satellite Radio Ready: There are several options for connecting
an optional XM or SIRIUS Satellite Radio tuner to this receiver:

Dock: Select dock-and-play and portable
SIRIUS radios can be controlled using the Kenwood KCA-SR50
adapter and the SC-VDOC1 dock (package item number
700SIRPKEN).

Auxiliary Input: A portable satellite
radio receiver, such as the Delphi SkyFi3 or SIRIUS Sportster,
can be connected to the front panel auxiliary input.

Note: A subscription is also required
to receive satellite radio programming from SIRIUS or XM.

HD Radio Ready: With an optional Kenwood HD Radio tuner (113HR300,
sold separately), you will be able to receive digital AM/FM broadcasts from local
stations where available. This new technology will significantly improve audio
quality and reception, as well as include information such as artist name and
song titles or traffic news, viewable on the receiver's display.

Note: You cannot connect both a Satellite Radio
Interface and HD Radio tuner to the headunit.

Aux/USB/iPod Connectivity

USB Port: The Kenwood KDC-MP342U features a front panel 2.0
USB type-A port that is hidden behind a sliding cover. The USB port enables
connection and control of a portable USB mass-storage class device with MP3
(8-320 kbps) and WMA (48-192 kbps) music files. The USB port is
compatible with all USB mass storage class devices that support the FAT16 or
FAT32 file system. Your USB device should only have a maximum of 8 directory
levels, 255 folders, and 255 files per folder with a maximum of 65,025 files and
folders. When your USB device is connected to this unit, it can be
charged up provided that the KDC-MP342U is powered on.

Note: You cannot
connect a USB device via a USB hub or Multi-Card Reader to this unit.

iPod High-Speed Connection: The KDC-MP342U's front-panel
USB port also acts as an iPod high-speed
direct connection when used with the optional Kenwood USB Direct Connection
Cable (113iP101, sold separately) or the USB/iPod cable that comes with
your iPod. Using either cable allows you to connect, control, and charge select
iPod models with the KDC-MP342U. The USB connection allows your iPod's large music libraries to be
loaded instantly to the headunit and sound quality to be maximized through
the headunit's 24-bit D/A converter, allowing for a Signal to Noise ratio up
to105dB.When your iPod is connected to the
KDC-MP342U, you can choose to operate your iPod via the Kenwood headunit's
controls or your iPod's click-wheel/touch-screen. If you select to control your iPod from
the KDC-MP342U, the Kenwood headunit will allow you to navigate your iPod's
music by Playlist, Artists, Album, Genre, Composer, Song, or Podcast (your
iPod's click-wheel/touch-screen will be locked in this mode). You can search
these categories alphabetically or using a percentage search (0.5%, 1%, 5%,
10%). You can also choose to listen to all songs stored on your iPod at
random. The KDC-MP342 will also display your iPod's music file information
when in this mode.If you choose to operate your connected iPod
via its click-wheel/touch-screen controls, the KDC-MP342U will not display
your iPod's music information (the headunit will instead display "iPodMODE")
and the Kenwood headunit's controls will no longer operate your iPod. The
Kenwood KDC-MP342 is "Made for iPod" compatible and supports the following iPod
model features (as of Nov. 2009):

iPod/iPhone Model

Generation

Media Type

Control

Display

Charge

Audio

Video

Unit

iPod

Song/Artist

Track

dock-connector

3rd

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

click-wheel/color-display

4th

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

mini

1st

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

2nd

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

video

5th

Y

N

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

classic

80GB

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

120GB

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

160GB

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

nano

1st

Y

N

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

2nd

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

3rd

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

4th

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

5th

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

6th

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

touch

1st

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

2nd

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

3rd

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

4th

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

iPhone

2G

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

3G

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

3GS

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

4

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

Note: Apple iPod/iPhone software updates may change
functionality results. If you download a newer software version, you may
need to reset the headunit and your iPod/iPhone to regain functionality.
If this doesn't work, you may need to revert to the older software
version or wait until an newer software update is available. Not
compatible with iOS 4.0 for iPhone (3G/3GS) or iPod touch (2nd/3rd gen).

AUX Input: The KDC-MP342U is equipped with a front
panel 3.5mm mini-jack auxiliary input for connecting external portable audio
devices such as an MP3 player. The
KDC-MP342U allows you to select the source type displayed when using the
auxiliary input. You can choose from AUX, DVD, Portable, Game, Video or TV.

Rear Auxiliary Input "Ready": The unit already features a
front panel auxiliary input, but if you need a second auxiliary input, one can
be added to the rear of the unit. When used with an optional adapter, this unit
can accept a rear input from an auxiliary source. When the CA-C1AUX adapter
(113CAC1AX,
sold separately) is used, you cannot connect a CD changer to the head unit
because the adapter plugs into the DIN changer control connection on the head
unit. When the KCA-S220A 2-changer switch (113KCAS220,
sold separately) is used, you can
connect a CD changer and an auxiliary audio source at the same time. When an
auxiliary audio source is connected, you can choose from one of six names for
the source: AUX, DVD, Portable, Game, Video or TV.

Wireless Communication

IR Remote Control: The KDC-MP342U comes with the RC-557 IR
wireless remote control with a full numeric keypad. The remote will control
Audio, CD, Tuner and Satellite radio functions. The remote control allows direct
access of your music tracks and direct access to discs loaded in a connected
CD-changer (sold separately). It is powered by 2 "AA" batteries (supplied). T

Bluetooth Ready: The unit is also Bluetooth compatible using
the optional Kenwood KCA-BT300 Bluetooth adapter (113BT300,
sold separately). Using this adapter you can make and answer phone calls from
the Kenwood head unit. You can even download your Phonebook information from
your compatible mobile phone into the head unit. You are able to register up to
five compatible Bluetooth cell phones when using the KCA-BT300 adapter.

Note: Not all Bluetooth enabled mobile phones will be
compatible with this unit. Please visit Kenwood.com for a complete list of
compatible Bluetooth enabled phones.

Our Product Research Team

At Crutchfield, you'll get detailed, accurate information that's hard to
find elsewhere. That's because we have our own in-house Product Research
team. They verify what’s in the box, check the owner's manual, and record
dimensions, features and specs. We stay on top of new products and technologies
to help people make informed choices.

* Agree to Terms
By checking this box you agree your review becomes the property of Crutchfield,
that you are over 18 years of age, that you own or have owned this product, and
that you are located within the United States or its territories. Please see our
Review Guidelines for more information. We reserve the right (but are not
obligated to) review all submissions and edit or remove any review in any manner
which we deem necessary. Your review should be posted within seven days.

Great sound but poorly made USB port

Written By Coldfire, Elgin, IL on Wednesday, July 06, 2011

I bought this radio to play my Ipod and to charge my Garmin. I loved the sound quality and the ease of use. I am sad to say that the USB port has bent and no longer works after just under 2 years. The USB port is very cheaply made and bends very easily. It will cost me more to repair the unit than buy a new one.

This Kenwood model is awesome!!

I had seen this Kenwood model KDC-MP342U stereo head unit installed in my friend's car, and I liked it so much that I ordered two (2) units from Crutchfield at the same time!...the shipping to my address here in California was timely too, and that's also another thing I really like about Crutchfield!...these guys rock & offer excellent advice and are very helpful, answering all of your questions. If you're in the market for a Kenwood car stereo that's packed with features, and decently priced, don't hesitate to get this one before they're all gone, since they're 2010 models and are being discontinued.

Excellent Radio and great Install Instructions for anyone!

I install this radio and speakers in my daughters toyota camary, the instructions were
very very clear and useful making the installation complete without any problems, the
sound quality of the radio and speakers is very good. its a great buy for the money

Awesome head unit

I used this to replace the stock head unit in my 1994 Civic, so the difference was amazing.
Not only did everything sound so much better, the interface is a lot nicer. I got the iPod
connector cable that attaches to the back of the head unit, and the only bad thing about it is
that it only works with the old iPods. It will not work with my iPhone 3GS, but will work with
my iPod Video (4th gen. I believe). Overall a great head unit though.

Great Radio Head Unit

Very easy to install especially with the installation harness that I purchased
for this radio. Great sound and works well with an ipod. I was impressed how
well it controlled the songs on an ipod. I would recommend this radio.

Great CD Receiver for the Price!

I was looking for a relatively inexpensive unit for my trusty '96 Honda Accord
station wagon, and my priorities were (1) good quality, (2) good value, and (3)
relatively conservative styling (i.e., a "purposeful" look, without lots of
flashy chrome). Originally, I had been considering getting something for under
~$100, but set the top limit for my budget at $150. I did a lot of research and
after reading the reviews and evaluating all the offerings in this price range,
it came down to either this unit or a comparable Alpine which I also liked. I
decided on the Kenwood partially because of its apparent popularity with other
Crutchfield shoppers (who after all are smarter than average, right?), and
because reportedly the user manual included with the Alpine is on a CD rather
than in printed form which I prefer. Anyway, this was my first purchase from
Crutchfield and I'm thrilled with both the product and the service I received.
It came with everything I needed to make installation, literally, a snap. The
final result has a subdued, "factory" look which is exactly what I wanted and
the product performs flawlessly. (Note: I was planning to upgrade the speakers
at the same time, but this unit makes even the stock speakers sound so good,
I've decided to put that off for awhile and just enjoy the music!)

Nice Radio

So far this has been a nice radio... very versatile with plenty of inputs. My
biggest problem is plugging my ipod touch (1st generation) into the USB;
sometimes it works fine with no problems. Most times it just displays "Reading"
on the screen and will not play anything. However it does charge the ipod, and I
can always plug it in to the 1/8" jack in the front.

Very Happy

This is an out modeled unit so most people will probably not even see this so this review is mostly for crutchfield.com. The receiver does everything it says it will, even as a refurbished item it sounds/looks great in my sonata and my jetta. As the last poster said though it is the support, the included items ie. harness, dim tools, installation sheets etc. that made my experience exceptional!

Thanks crutchfield, this may have been my first self install but most definitely not my last,not with the great support available here!

Excellent head unit for my '01 Buick Century

Written By Joe, N. Massapequa, NY on Monday, May 03, 2010

It's a shame this unit's been discontinued, it really is worth the money I paid
in September 2009. It certainly is quite versatile with all the available input
methods, from basic AM/FM radio to controlling an iPod or flash drive via USB
(however to my slight dismay, Microsoft Zunes aren't compatible with this unit),
plus whatever attachment you want in the back.

Installation was easy enough, although I did have to remove a lot of panels to
get this in. Crutchfield's free installation guide, wiring harnesses & adapters
work well; as long as you solder the wires correctly and tape them up afterward
you can't go wrong

This unit put my stock unit (only AM/FM radio after a tape got permanently
jammed in the tape deck) to shame, massive improvement in sound quality, even in
the radio. The 22 watts RMS the built-in amp provides is plenty to drive my
stock speakers loudly and very clearly. However my speakers lack bass even with
the bass boost and the bass EQ settings maxed out, but this unit has switchable
rear speaker/subwoofer preamp outputs, so I can put in a sub and then really get
some good all around sound

Great replacement for '92 Volvo 940 OEM

Written By Everett, Lawrenceville, GA on Saturday, February 27, 2010

Got a great deal on the Kenwood KDC-MP342U from Crutchfield. Ordered with 4
speakers on a special deal. The receiver works great but the true hero is Crutchfiled's
free wire harnesses, adaptors, faceplate and tech service that made this a true bargain.
Everything fit perfectly and all my concerns weren't warranted. Thanks Crutchfiled! I'll
definately be shopping with you again and never pay someone else to install a stereo.

Pleased

This is a good head unit for its price. Very pleased with the sound from CDs and Ipod.
Radio is ok, but can use some cleaning up on sound quality. Over all am very satisfied.
The installation went ok except for a few troubles. I must say if your installing it into a
Nissan Frontier or Xterra, becareful on your wires for the (+,-) for the front a back
speakers. Nissan doesn't mark off the differenence between 4 wires.

TERRIBLE Radio reception

Written By rafboy, Los Angeles, CA on Monday, February 08, 2010

I replaced the stock Clarion unit in my 2008 Nissan Versa because I wanted to be able to plug in my iPod (either through an AUX input or a USB one). I settled on this Kenwood because of the reputation (my home stereo is a 21 year old Kenwood component system- still working great), and because of the price. I listened to it locally and it sounded good. I bought it, had it installed professionally, and now I want to throw it out the window.
I get practically no radio reception anymore. Almost all the stations I tuned to on my stock unit were crystal clear. Now all I get is static- and that includes stations withe powerful broadcast signals in Los Angeles like KROQ- even though the antenna adpator is connected to the power antenna wire (for my amplified antenna). I feel like I wasted my money plus the installation charges.
If you're never going to play your radio, get it. It sounds good (though programming is a pain- you'll definitely need the manual). If you still listen to the radio- skip it!

Kenwood KDC-MP342U

Written By Anonymous, Sioux falls, SD on Saturday, January 30, 2010

This receiver is great! the controls for the ipod interface seem great to me,
and quite user friendly. The lights are bright, yes, but ask yourself, would
you rather have dim lights or bright ones? Night driving is fine.
So, why the three stars?? well Crutchfield sent me the wrong sheets. They
were for a chevy/geo prizm. I have a plymouth breeze. Close. . . not. , thank
goodness my car is amazingly simple. Product=5 stars. Crutchfield= 2stars.

Room for Improvement

A decent receiver, but I wish I had seen it in person before buying it. The technical specs and included features are great, but the actual user interface has some shortcomings. The volume knob is completely smooth, some simple grip texture around the circumference would have made a huge difference. But my biggest gripe is the brightness of the unit. The blue LED lights used everywhere but the LCD display are extremely bright, and this is a problem at night. It's bad to the point where the night vision in my right eye is compromised from the glow at the lower-right of my peripheral vision. I need to cover the glow with something in order to see properly.

Additionally, the display when using Sirius leaves a lot to be desired. My cheap external Sportster unit displayed much better information than this. I shouldn't have to manually cycle between channel name, song title, and artist as separate options when listening to satellite. For a relatively large display area the LCD is quite useless.

On a positive note, the USB port is great - it can even control my little mp3 player (and keep it charged at the same time!).

I would not recommend this unit to anyone based on the light factor alone. There are better options out there.

Kenwood KDC-MP342U

This is a great receiver for the price. We replaced a stock JBL receiver in our
Camry and were hoping that we wouldn't have to replace the speakers, too. We
didn't - this sounds amazing in our car and is a huge improvement over the JBL
receiver.

The blue lights are bright, but not bothersome. The controls make sense, and
we've had no problems with this receiver. The built-in amp seems to be
considerably better quality and more powerful than the one we're now bypassing.

Power Antenna and other issues

After installing this receiver, I noticed after a few days that the radio reception was not as good as I hoped. It turns out that the problem is that the power antenna on my 1994 Camry Sedan now only goes up about 1/3 of the way and stops. I called Crutchfield Support for help and they couldn't really offer any. I was hoping there was some sort of setting to control how long the receiver sends power to the antenna. No such luck. They had no idea how to solve this problem. So, I'm stuck with an antenna that looks like it's broken. It's bad enough that I'm driving a 16 year old vehicle, so this just adds insult to injury :).

Another thing that is bothersome is the IPOD control. Once you plug the IPOD into the USB port, you can no longer control song selection from the IPOD. Finding songs via the receiver is certainly not a friendly as the IPOD interface. My kids are now unplugging their IPOD from the USB port after every song just so they can find the next song on the IPOD, and then plug it back in. I bought this unit primarily because of the build-in IPOD control features that it had. Turns out that the IPOD control is the thing that I like least about the unit.

Lastly, getting the unit to display the current selection from the USB or Aux interface is not so easy. Right now, the unit reverts to showing the current time, as opposed to what is playing. I'm sure this can be changed, but should it be so difficult?

Excellent Receiver

Good power Great price, Excellent customer service, Necessary adapter kit included with the radio makes the installation a breeze and a cut above all of the competition. The Crutchfield site is very intuitive and leaves nothing to the imagination. Kudos X2. Crutchfield sets the standard that all should follow. I'll be back!

Great Receiver

This is a great receiver for the money. I mainly bought this receiver for playing my ipod and works great. I like how you are able to switch controls between the ipod and the receiver when playing music off the ipod. You also do not need to buy anypod adapter cables which saves you extra money. It also has good features for the price, such as bass control, bass boost, and subwoofer output.

Two minor cons:
1. The display. It can only show one line of text so scrolling through your ipod library in the receiver can be a hassle. But that's what the ipod control is for
2. The menu options are very unintuitive. Almost impossible to change settings without having the manual in front of you.

Awesome!

Written By Matt, Ann Arbor MI on Thursday, January 14, 2010

The Kenwood KDC-MP342U is simply an awesome head unit. I had high expectations
for it, and it met them all. The set up was fairly easy as far as car stereo
installation goes. The features are nice on this stereo and it sounds simply
amazing. The only downside to this stereo is the fact that you can't dim the
accent lights on it. Everything else works like a charm. For the price oyu
really can't beat it

Great Receiver and Easy Installation

I bought this for my husband for a Christmas gift. It was easy to install and had the features I wanted. The presets are nice and it is easy to switch between listening to the radio tuner and listening to the songs on the USB. Sounds good and is fairly easy to use. My husband loves it.

CRUTCHFIELD CUSTOMER SERVICE WITHOUT PEER!

OUTSTANDING product brought me to Crutchfield for its great price. Crutchfield UNSURPASSED customer service will keep me coming back for more. I was gifted this stereo for my birthday before Christmas and took advantage of a great price. Install took a while, but only because I wanted to get it just right and remove some errors put in place by a prior after market install. I absolutely love the unit. Great setup. Takes both iPod (Nano 4G) and USB sticks via handy USB port on front of faceplate. Excellent menu. Great instruction manual. Excellent Crutchfiled tech paper on removal of old and install of new. I have had this unit for over 2 months now and I absolutely LOVE my new Kenwood KDC-MP342U and wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you Crutchfield team. Thank you, thank you, thank you...!!!

Super sound

Written By reddieflyer, Arkansas on Thursday, December 31, 2009

Crutchfield installation kit for my Xterra was a perfect fit. Instructions are easy to read and understand. This was part 1 of 2 of my new soundsystem. I put this unit in before I installed my new speakers. It made my factory speakers sound even better. The USB/Ipod plugin is nice. While on Ipod mode the receiver had does a nice job of interfacing with the ipod without delay. Great sound. Excellent instructions. Repeat buyer.

Great unit

Bought an absolutely stock 1993 mustang convertible. Still had the factory
radio. After some research, picked the Kenwood for price and performance. I
wasn't disappointed. It's easy to install and set up and sounds great. This
was probably one of the easiest installs I've ever done. The USB is a great
feature and works without a hitch. I still have the factory speakers and will be
looking for an upgrade (after all...they are 16 years old) but I'm pleased with
the sound even with those old speakers.

Great receiver and easy install in 2 cars

I bought the KDC-MP342U for both my son and daughter's cars. This unit had a great balance of features for the price, and the USB iPod interface was the key feature they both wanted. The Crutchfield advisor was excellent in helping make sure this unit would work in both of their cars (`98 Audi A4, and `05 Toyota Corolla). The install was very different for each car, but Crutchfield's outstanding trim kits, wiring diagrams and installation instructions worked perfectly. The installs were completed without any issues in under 2 hours each. We are all now firm believers in Crutchfield's expertise and products. Thanks!

Good Unit - Shakey Install

As far as the intallation, I'd have to rate the Crutchfield install sheets a 5 out of 10.
They really weren't vehicle specific in my case. And don't believe the "It Fits" if you're
looking to install it on the vehicle above.

I had to trim the factory grill to get it to fit through the Kenwood unit's front. There was
no way to mount it flush behind the grill. It had to stick through. The factory grill is a
bit curved and so it's tight on the left and right sides but the top and bottom stick out.
In my opinion it looks terrible. But my son was impatient and sound is more
important than aesthetics for him.

I'm rather disappointed. If the car was new, I would have never ground out a factory
grill to fit the unit through. If it says it fits, it should fit. Period.

Perhaps there's a faceplate that will fit flush with this unit and vehicle. When ordering
the Crutchfield Tech said it didn't need one. I'll contact support and talk to them.

Great Deal!

This receiver made my 1999 Honda Accord factory speakers sound great. Nice sound
and easy to use. The best thing was how easy it was to install! The harness and
mounting brackets were all included and I installed by myself with no issues at all. The
stereo has the usb port, mp3 player and CD for a very decent price! Thanks Crutchfield!

This unit has issues

Written By Ted, Charlotte, NC on Tuesday, December 22, 2009

The unit plays music well, and the features work as advertised. But... the auto dimming feature of the unit is inadequate. At night, the blue glow from the blue ring around the volume knob and the blue bar next to the USB plug are so bright, I had to hold my hand in front of them so I could see to drive. Horrible! And when the unit is turned off, it's completely dark, nothing will display. They could at least have the time displayed on it like factory radios do. It never ceases to amazing me have these aftermarket car radio companies can't get the most simple things right. This unit should have a wire that connects to the dimming circuit the factory radio used. And the time should be displayed when the unit is off, instead of the black hole that it is. I'm sending it back.

Kenwood KDC-MP342U

my best friend originally bought the product for his police interceptor which got hit and totaled and because of how happy we both were with it we made sure to retrieve it to put in his grand marquis... after hearing how good it sounded i was amazed... i used to be against a lot of kenwoods products but now this is probably got to be my favorite headunit... i just bought one for my suburban.. it was really easy to put into any or the vehicles and i would definitely buy this product again and probably will....

Why I keep shopping Crutchfield

I have been shopping Crutchfield for 15 years because they get me! I like their
website where I can see a solid choice of products, learn about them, compare
products, and find out what components it will take to get the best system for
my car. This time around I needed to replace an OEM head unit on a Toyota Sienna
that went belly-up. The Kenwood KDC-MP342U was just the ticket to bring my
system into the 21st century. The tuner works fine, the CD player is great and
the USB i-Pod interface is fantastic! Install was a breeze and as always
Crutchfield did it right, I added an OEM amp interface by PAC and in a couple of
hours I have a really nice system. Just in time to enjoy Christmas music.

Kenwood KDC-MP342U

The FM receiver is worthless. It won't pick up even nearby stations that came in loud and clear on the factory radio. I put my music files on a thumb drive and plug it into the USB port and that part works great. I wouldn't buy another Kenwood.

Closer to 3.5 out of 5 stars

Installed this in a 2005 Honda Pilot LX
- Spoke with customer rep and was told no trim tool was necessary. I wish I had
purchased a set as I put a few small dents in the plastic trim using a screw driver and
sock (while removing factory stereo).
- On wiring harness didn't connect blue/white power antenna control wire since car has
antenna built into window. Got very poor FM reception and no AM reception. Checked
support article and found this connection is necessary for antenna signal booster
(although no power antenna). Resolved problem.
- Wiring harness seems good quality. Supplied mount for stereo definitely not as sturdy
as factory mount (metal vs. plastic).

About receiver:
PROS:
- Very good price for feature set.
- Front USB port nice for iPod connection.
- Nice that iPod can be controlled from head unit or iPod
- Remote control so back seat passengers can control unit.

CONS:
- Not the most intuitive unit to configure. I can normally get things up and running
without referring to the manual, but in the case of this unit I had to refer to the manual on
numerous instances. After using the deck for three days I'm still not 100% confident I'll
hit the correct buttons to get the desired feature.
- The blue lights (big knob and USB port) are really bright and cannot be dimmed.
- It's difficult to see display in cetain lighting conditions. My unit is mounted high on the
dash.

Fantastic unit for the budget minded

I bought this unit specifically for the iPod functionality. My escape had a 6 disk CD changer in the dash but 99% of my music is on my iPod. This unit was just what i was looking for. Plays my iPod perfectly, super easy to install and use (after reading what buttons controlled which functions in the book), and sounds much better then my stock head unit. Currently my truck has all stock speakers too. I was going to upgrade them eventually but it sounds so good they will stay until they blow!

Great Stereo

Written By Forrest, San Antonio, TX on Friday, November 27, 2009

This stereo is wonderful for the price. I had this stereo installed about a year ago. It is compatible with the Iphone 3g as some had mentioned it was not. The tuner works great. There are many available options. It is a wonderful head unit. The only problems I have had with it is that the scrolling through music on my Iphone can be slow at times. Other than that I have absolutely no complaints. This is a must buy.

Love this car stereo!!!

This car stereo is amazing...it does it all! The Crutchfield advisor recommended it to me
when I told him what I was looking for. And for the price of this stereo it does not
disappoint. Everything I need to play my ipod on, my satellite radio, and the usb on the
front is brilliant! Thank you Crutchfield!!!!

Kenwood KDC-MP342U

I recently purchased this receiver. The receiver, mounting kit and instructions arrived fast. I had the receiver installed in less than an hour and it is working very well. I have tried all of the modes (tuner, USB, AUX, CD) and they all work great. Thanks Crutchfield.

Kenwood KDC-MP342U

For the price the features of this radio are great. I have been very happy with the usb port on the front of the radio. The sound quality is very good. The only thing that I find annoying is having to press the mode button multiple times to get back to the tuner when you are in the CD, USB, or other mode.

1999 Mercedes

This head unit is awesome. I installed it on my 1999 Mercedes c280 with Bose System. Used the Pac Oem 2 Universal Interface. Popped my old unit out, attached the supplied harnesses, popped the new unit in, and not one problem. It was so easy with all the supplied accessories and documentation supplied by Crutchfield. The great thing about this unit is that you can choose to control the ipod through the unit's controls or through the ipod itself. There is no need to drill any holes or route a wire to connect your ipod either, since it attaches through the front usb port with the ipod cable that came with your ipod.

Very happy with my purchase

Very happy with my new stereo. I replaced a Pioneer deck I bought about 4 or 5 years ago and the sound I am getting out of this Kenwood is much better. I purchased this stereo for the USB connection for my Ipod, as my old deck did not work with it. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars... not sure why I didn;t give it the fifth star though, as I can;t think of anything negative about it.

Not bad!

Written By Ski, Lafayette, IN on Tuesday, November 03, 2009

My factory cd player recently died... I wanted a replacement CD player with improved sound quality. This unit definitely fills the void. AM radio reception is non-existent. Something that I didn't think of before I started this process. I'm told ALL after market radios have lousy AM reception. So this one is no better I guess. I was hoping to find a unit with RBDS... that feeds song titles etc... to the display. But couldn't find an aftermarket unit at any price range that had that feature. Overall I like the cd player and the overall FM sound. Still bummed I can't get my AM talk radio fix... looked for aftermarket antennas and amps to no avail. Probably will switch back to the old unit w/o the CD player.

I personally wouldn't buy this unit again... not because it's not worth the money... but because I value my AM radio more than the CD player. Call me an antique.

Bad Tuner, Bad MP3 Mixing - Won't work for me

FM tuner and HD radio have awful reception. I had an Alpine CDE-9852 that I replaced with this so for the front aux. The tuner is so poor in the Kenwood that a major station nearby (about 10 miles) can't be received. Same antenna etc as the Alpine used. Huge downgrade here, and compared against a deck in a similar price point so "get what you pay for/quality" shouldn't be a factor in this.

The HD radio was also useless and for the same reason. I live about 4.5 miles from the tower for the major broadcaster that sends out 4 FM and 3 HD stations. The HD stations would cut in and out regularly on my 4mi drive.

The deck can play MP3 CD's and USB drives and indexes very quickly. Kudos for that. But it CAN NOT randomize the entire MP3 disc or the USB drive. I talked with Crutchfield and Kenwood and confirmed that it wasn't my mistake. For some people this may not matter, but for me it is THE way I listen to MP3s.
The build quality isn't great, but I liked the look and the feel of the unit. The display is easy to read but direct sunlight washes it out badly. The blue accent lights are bright as heck at night, but tolerable.

The good:
Sound quality: decent.
Aux input works well and input levels to balance between CD/Aux/radio is nice.
Sub control works well and was intuitive
Little features like the bass boost selections, "supreme" sound for MP3's, speaker size, etc were all nice little touches that I appreciated.

Kenwood KDC-MP342U

I installed the Kenwood KDC-MP342U in my 2001 Tacoma. It came complete with cable kit and spacer pocket. I needed to consult online information on how to remove the dash bezel for the vehicle before the radio arrived. This information is important for the removal of the old radio. The cable adapter was ok, but took time to make the connections to the new radio harmess solder and put shrink tubing on the connections. This took as much time as it did to install the radio. Good thing I kept the old radio as the new radio installation requires the side brackets to be reused. In the end I did not use the pocket filler as I saw the space as an opportunity to install a radio scanner.

Overall the radio works good but wish it had the ability to have a knob to change the frequency on the radio vs just scan to to the next station. Some stations my be distant and not picked up ion the scan.